Minister for Sport John Eren today said the classification upgrade is a vote of confidence in women’s cycling in Victoria, and a sign the fledgling event is heading in the right direction.

The 2016 instalment will feature on the UCI Women’s Road Cycling calendar for the first time, and that means more of cycling’s household names are headed to Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula.

“We promised we’d continue to grow our impressive list of major events and that’s what we’re doing. The Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race is going from strength to strength.” Minister for Sport John Eren said.

“The UCI’s decision to upgrade the Elite Women’s Road Race is a vote of confidence in our State and our major events and sporting credentials.”

The 2015 Australian Road Race Champion, Peta Mullens, will headline the race when she suits up for Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling. Reigning champion and ORICA-AIS star Rachel Neylan is also confirmed.

The 113 km Elite Women’s Race begins on Geelong’s iconic waterfront, before passing through Barwon Heads, Torquay and along the Great Ocean Road. The weekend of cycling includes the women’s event, the Elite Men’s Race, and the Momentum Energy People’s Ride.

“We’ll keep investing in our major events calendar, because we know they mean more visitors, more jobs for Victorians and stronger local economies.” Mr. Eren said.

It’s the second win for women’s cycling in Victoria in a short time, and it’s the equality our star female athletes deserve. The 2016 Australian National Road Championships women’s elite event will receive television coverage for the first time. Earlier this year, the 134th instalment of the Stawell Gift included equal prize money between the women and the men.

The Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race begins on January 30 and concludes January 31.